Univ. of Hawaii Awarded $3M Mesothelioma Research Grants

The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) awarded three grants totaling more than $3 million to researchers at the University of Hawaii Cancer Center last month to advance their studies of mesothelioma. The awards were part of the Peer Reviewed Cancer Research Program funded by the DOD. The University of Hawaii has been a national leader in the study of mesothelioma, which strikes a disproportionate number of military veterans. “We’re grateful that all the work we’ve put into research in the past is being recognized and appreciated,” Dr. Michele Carbone, director of thoracic oncology at the cancer center, told Asbestos.com. “Our track record is good.” Carbone has been a world leader in mesothelioma research for decades. He is the former director of the University of Hawaii Cancer Center. His research was the first to uncover details of the BAP1 gene mutation in 2011 and its direct tie to mesothelioma. It still is the only gene mutation proven to have a direct link to this disease. He and Associate Professor Haining Yang received the Pentagon’s two-year, $600,000 Idea Award with Special Focus grant that will concentrate on more genetic research. They hope to identify another specific gene mutation that increases the risk of developing mesothelioma after asbestos exposure. Finding that mutated gene could help identify individuals who would benefit from early cancer screening. Carbone Is Uncovering Mesothelioma Genetics “When we first started looking for the genetic l...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news